The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-05
ESTABLISHED IN 1865.
THE GREAT NUMBER OF d.
VORCES IN STATES THAT
GRANT THEM.
A Demand for Uniform Divorce Laws.
4tiantQ Constitution

AAanta Constitution.
Tue need of stricter regulations in
the matter of divorces is generally
acknowledged.
Before the war divorces were very
rare in the South. Of late years
they have become alarmingly fire.
quent. Over thirty divorce suits were
returned to one term of Fulton supe-
rior court. It is true that q great
majority of the parties to these suits
were negroes. Most of the divorces
in the South are sought and obtained
by negroes. But this does not alter
the. moral aspect of the situation.
The negro is citizen. 1.-The is often
o weak and erring citizen, on that
very account, the law should brace
him to proper conduct, instead Of in
viting him to loose construction of
his social duty. The recognized pol.
icy Of society is contrary to divorces.
The only apology for law which
recognizes them is that in some cases
q continuance Of the matrimonial
bond would involve hardship and
suffering to innocent parties. Legal
divorce was instituted as desperate
remedy for desperate evils. The d.
vorce laws of nearly all the States
are different. In some States they
are shamesully lax and disgracefully
administered. South Carolina has
no divorce law. Illinois seems vir-
tually to have none, for divorce has
come to be regarded there as mere
matter of form which can be obtained
on the most frivolous pretexts. Such
States are the Canada for the matri.
monial defaulter Of States which pre-
serve sterner code. The adoption
of uniform divorce laws in all the
States of the Union would be great
reform. This subject has more than
once been considered by the Ameri-
can Bar association. At more than
one meeting of the Georgia Bar as
sociation there have been express
sions in favor of uniformity in d.
vorce laws. Still nothing practical
has been done in this direction.
At the last session Of Congress the
commissioner of statistics was di-
rected to collect statistics of mar
riage and divorce in the United
States This work, if faithfully per-
formed, will present valuable data.
It may have the effect of prowoting
q reform in divorce legislation. But
the idea that this action of Congress
is step preliminary to national con-
troll of divorces is absurd. 1t is sur.
prising that some newspapers are to
be found which speak out IN favor OF
a constitutional amendment to this
effect. Congress and the general
government have no more to do with
matrimonial contracts than with any
other contracts which are made in
the various States, for the only legal
status Of marriage is that of a civil
contract. The bureau of statistics
was established for the purpose of
collecting and publishing information
on all subjects of Importance to the
people. Congress did we'll when it
directed the collection of statistics
on marriage and divorce. There its
duty and its power over this subject
ended.
The States must regulate marriage
and divorce. The States should,
however, enact strict and uniform
laws which will strengthen the failing
popular regard for the sanctity of
the marriage relation and restrain
the loose and reckless granting of
divorces for insufficient causes.
There would undoubtedly be some
difficulties in the way of obtaining
this uniformity, but it is surely OBJ
tainable if the people desire it. The
National Bar association, composed
of lawyers from every State, might
formulate a divorce law which might
prove acceptable to the various State
legislatures. The governors of States
might appoint commissioners to meet
and draft such law. The method of
the reform is secondary question.
The country needs the reform and
ought to have it.
A Word from the Edgefeld.. jury Of In
quest.
E-J,pfe]I FTLr0DirfP